A section of lawyers in Busia has disowned a petition calling for the transfer of Chief Magistrate Edna Nyaloti, claiming their signatures were forged.
The controversy stems from a resolution passed by members of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) Busia Chapter on August 14, 2025, where advocates agreed to boycott Court No. 1, presided over by Nyaloti, until she was transferred. The lawyers cited alleged security concerns raised by the magistrate as justification for the decision.
However, seven members of the LSK Busia Chapter have now distanced themselves from the petition, stating in sworn affidavits that they did not participate in its formulation. They insist their signatures were fraudulently appended to the document.
“I swear this affidavit to confirm that I never appended my signature in support of the said petition and hereby disown the attached signature as it is not mine,” one lawyer stated. Another added: “I did not take part in the petition’s formulation and neither did I consent to my signature being used.”
In a notice dated August 15, 2025, the LSK Busia Chapter announced that, effective August 18, no advocate would take up or proceed with any matter before Nyaloti until she was transferred. But the latest revelations have cast doubt on the legitimacy of that resolution.
The dispute comes amid growing tension at the Busia courts after Nyaloti raised concerns about the infiltration of brokers allegedly commercialising justice processes. In a letter to the LSK Busia Branch, she cited cases of individuals soliciting money to influence proceedings, including surety approvals and case withdrawals.
In one incident, a man identified as Michael Noah Wandera was arrested for allegedly receiving Ksh10,000 with the promise of facilitating the withdrawal of a case before Court No. 5.
